• Question: Why is your tong red

    Asked by Caleb to Andy, Katie on 21 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Katie Pickering

      Katie Pickering answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      Great question! The tongue should be a dark pinky colour naturally and it is this colour as it has a good blood supply to it. As the tongue has a good blood supply to it it also means that if it gets damaged it can repair itself very quickly. The tongue can change colour and this can be a sign of an infection or illness of some description. Sometimes if we have a rally bad cold and sore throat we get a furry coating on the tongue and this is the infection in the throat sticking to the tongue!

    • Photo: Andrew Philp

      Andrew Philp answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      Red colouring in any tissue/organ would normally suggest its full of blood and the darker the red the less oxygen in that blood.

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